Adjustable stretcher



Aug. 31, 1937. w. H. JAcoBus 2,091,317

ADJUSTABLE S'TRETCHER Filed March 7, 1936 WITNESSES INVENTQR S Z24 Wigrzkzmflf q'caiuf ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE STRETCHER William. H. Jacobus, New York, N. Y.

Appiication March '7,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable stretchers and more specifically to an adjustable frame on which garments or other articles are stretched. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to a stretcher for any particular garment, but for convenience and to prevent constant repetition we will assume that the stretcher is designe d for stretching skirts.

An object of the invention is to provide a stretcher of this character which can not only be adjusted to various sizes and angles but is also provided with means whereby the outline of the stretcher can be given any desired shape, as, for

example, it is a well-known fact that some skirts are made and designed for larger hips than others and for various human shapes, and with my improved stretcher means are provided which permit the stretcher to assume the desired shape or outline.

With this and other tion consists in certai objects in view, the invenn novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a view in elevation illustrating my improved adjustable stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a broken right of Fig. 1;

edge view looking at the Fig, 3 is a view in longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and shown in full lines on in this view a garment is the stretcher;

Fig. l is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in section on the line l-4 of Fig. l.

The particular stretcher illustrated comprises a frame consisting of longitudinal bars I, I, connected by an upper transverse bar 2 and a lower transverse bar 3 The bars I, I are preferably of wood. and the bars 2 and 3 are preferably of metal, although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular materials employed.

The bars I, I at their upper ends are bifurcated to receive the bar 2 therein, and this bar 2 is formed in at least slot 6 through which the I, I by bolts 4 and wing together. The bar 2 is bolt l projects so that the desired adjustment of the bars relative to each other can be made.

The bars I, I at their lower portions are formed with longitudinal slots I through which the bar 3 wise secured to said bars The bar 3 in at nuts 5. with a longitudinal 51 projects, and is likeby bolts 4 and wing least one end is formed ot 8 receiving the bolt 4 1936, Serial o. 67,564 (01. 223-69) so as to permit of the necessary adjustment between the bars. Furthermore, the bars I, I are provided with a longitudinal series of openings or perforations 8 to receive in any of them the said bolts.

On the outer edges of the bars I, I, I' locate shaping strips 9 which are preferably of wood and are of semi-circular form in cross section as illustrated clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and are of sufficient flexibility to permit of the necessary bending of the strips. These strips 9 are fixedly secured at one end to the bars I by screws I and at their other ends are provided with longitudinal slots I I which are movable on headed screws I2 fixed to the bars I, I, and also said slots II permit of the positioning of the lower bar 3 through the strips. The strips 9 are adjustably connected to the bars I, I, intermediate their ends, by any desired number of adjusting devices I2, which in the specific form illustrated, comprise screws which move freely through openings I3 in the bars I, I and are fixedly connected at their outer ends to the strips 9. I have illustrated the connection between the screws and the strips as constituting a threaded socket I4 in the strip receiving the end of the screw, but it is, of course, to be understood that the screws may be operatively connected to the strips in any desired man ner. On these screws I2 at opposite sides of the bars I, I, nuts I are located so that these nuts may be moved freely on the screws to permit the strips to be given the shape desired and then clamped home against opposite sides of the bars I, I to prevent further movement. While in the particular instance illustrated in Fig. 1, these strips are shown as having a general convex curvature throughout their length, it is obvious that by adjusting the nuts I5 on the screws I2, the strips may be given a compound curvature or any other shape desired so as to properly shape the particular garment supported thereon.

It will be noted, particularly by reference to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, that the openings I3 above referred to constitute elongated slots in the bars I and the outer edges of these bars adjacent the slots are recessed; This arrangement not only permits the screws an adjustment longitudinally of the bars I, but also permits of various angular dispositions of said screws to accommodate themselves to the varying shapes imparted to the flexible strips 9.

As a holding means for the garment on the stretcher, I preferably employ what constitute ordinary clothespins I6 which carry spring tongues or clips I! engaging over the bars 2 and 3,

and clamping the edges of the garment as illustrated at IS in Fig. 3 of the drawing. These clothespins are alternately positioned on opposite sides of the bars 2 and 3, and I may employ as many of these clothespins or garment clamping means as may be desired and they are freely removable and replaceable on the bars 2 and 3.

While I have illustrated and described what I believe to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that various slight changes may be made with regard to the form and arrangement of parts without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a stretcher, the combination of a frame consisting of longitudinal and transverse bars operatively connected, strips located at the outer edge of the longitudinal bars and so connected thereto as to permit movement and bending of the strips relative to the bars, and adjusting means intermediate the ends of the strips and the bars connecting said strips and bars and capable of adjustment to vary the shape of the strips, said adjusting means comprising screws secured at their outer ends to the strips and projecting through bars of the frame and nuts on the screws at opposite sides of the bars, said bars having longitudinal slots therein receiving the screws and permitting of movement of the screws longitudinally of the bars and permitting various angular dispositions of the screws to compensate for the varying shapes of the flexible strips.

2. In a stretcher, the combination of a frame consisting of longitudinal and transverse bars operatively connected, strips located at the outer edges of the longitudinal bars, strip adjusting devices connected at their outer ends to the strips, said bars having longitudinal slots therein receiving the said adjusting devices and permitting movement of the latter longitudinally of the bars as well as permitting an angular disposition of said devices relative to the bars, and means on the adjusting devices engaging opposite sides of the bars and operatively connecting said devices to the bars.

WILLIAM H. JACOBUS. 

